Authorities Liquidate Entrepreneurs’ Association ‘Perspective’

The Ministry of Justice has sued to the Supreme Court for liquidation of the republican NGO Perspective. In the report placed at the web site of the ministry on 12 January it is stated that ‘a meeting of entrepreneurs was held on 10 January in Minsk. Among others, the leader of the republican public association Perspective Anatol Shumchanka has taken an active part in the meeting’.

‘While the unsanctioned meeting of entrepreneurs was held, traffic in Independence Avenue near Independence Square was paralyzed (for 1 hour 20 minutes). Actions of organizers of this unsanctioned meeting, including the Republican public association Perspective, a considerable damage has been inflicted to interests of citizens, to public and state interests,’ the report reads.

The Law On public associations contains a norm that ‘A public association can be liquidated by a court ruling for one-time violation of the law on mass events in cases when it is envisaged by legal acts’, Justice Ministry emphasized.

‘Part 2 of Article 15 On mass events reads that if a responsible person of a public association hadn’t provided a duly order of organizing and holding a meeting, street march, demonstration and picketing, which caused infliction of large-scale damage or substantial damage to rights and legal interests of citizens, organizations or state or public interests, can be liquidated in the procedure prescribed by law,’ Justice Ministry report reads.

The association of entrepreneurs Perspective was registered on 12 March 2003. Its leader A.Shumchanka was sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest.